Expansible linkage with removable links and means to prevent inadvertent separation of the latter



3,018,616 AND MEANS E LATT H. EBERT ANSIBLE LINKAGE WITH REMOVABLE LINKS PREVENT INADVERTANT SEPARATION OF TH Filed May 25 1958 Jan. 30, 1962 EXP T0 bracelets, necklaces, etc.

EXPANSHBLE LINKAGE WITH REMGVAELE LINKS AND MEANS T PREVENT INAB- VERTENT SEPARATKON 0F TIE LATTER Henry Ebert, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Ebert & Co. inc Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 23, 1958, Ser. No. 737,282 1 Claim. (Cl. 59-79) This invention relates to an expansible bracelet comprising a plurality of pivotally joined links and more particularly to a bracelet which is adjustable in size by the addition or removal of the links comprising the bracelet.

It is always a problem in the sale of jewelry to supply the prospective customer with the proper size article. This is especially true of bracelets of the expansible type which are commonly used for watch bands, ornamental The bracelet must be of the proper size in order that it will not either slide up and down on the Wearers person because it is too large, or else feel uncomfortable because it is too tight.

Bracelets of the expansible link type are in common use and in many the size of the bracelet can be adjusted. Some prior art bracelets utilize a pivotal type linkage wherein a bottom link, to which a headed stud is attached, is used in conjunction with a top link that has a slot to receive the headed stud. Usually, a section of the slot is narrowed to a diameter less than the diameter of the head of the stud so that the stem of the stud fits into the narrow section and the head of the stud prevents it from disengaging from that part of the slot. The slot is also formed with a section that has a diameter greater than the diameter of the head of the stud and the links are pivotally joined by placing the head of the stud in this widened section, and then sliding the link forward so that the stem of the stud rests in the narrow section of the slot.

Additional links are added, to enlarge the size of the bracelet, by placing the headed studs of the bottom links to be added into the Wide sections of their corresponding slots on the top links. The studs are then slid to a position where their stems rest in the narrow section of the slot. To remove links and thereby decrease the size of the bracelet, the reverse procedure is followed.

Such an assembly, while adjustable in size, has been found to be very unsatisfactory in the past because in certain positions of expansion or compression of the bracelet the studs accidentally slide into the widened section of the slot and become disengaged from the top link by dropping through the slot. When one of the studs becomes disengaged from its corresponding slot the bracelet becomes deformed and may fall apart at other places.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a means for maintaining the stud in the narrow section of the slot regardless of the position of expansion or compression of the bracelet. This is accomplished by providing a locking or fastening member which'extends from the top link and engages the head of the stud to hold it in the narrow section of the slot. The arrangement is such that the fastening member can be easily disengaged from the stud so that the head of the stud may then he slid back to the widened section of the slot. This novel construction provides for rapidly adding or subtracting links to the bracelet in order to change its size without having the adjustable character of the bracelet contribute to the undesirable result previously men tioned of the stud dropping out through the slot when the bracelet is expanded or compressed to certain of the critical positions.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an expansible bracelet comprised of links in which the size of the bracelet can be readily changed.

Bfildfilb Patented Jan. 3%, 1962 It is also an object of this invention to provide an adjustable size bracelet wherein the removable links cannot become accidentally separated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the specification and drawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bracelet shown in expanded condition with several top ornamental shells removed to expose the base plates of the top links;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan View of the bracelet in expanded condition with several of the bottom shells removed to expose the bottom base plates;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the linkage of the bracelet taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base plate of a top link;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the base plate of a bottom link;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the key shaped fastening member used in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a top view of a further modification of the invention.

Referring to FIGURES l6, the bracelet comprises a plurality of top links 4 and bottom links 5 pivotally joined at their central and end portions to form an expansible bracelet. Suitable means to join the links to a watch, or some other pieces of jewelry are usually provided but are not shown here. Alternatively, the links 4 and 5 may be joined to form a continuous circular bracelet. Each of the top links 4 comprises a base plate 6 and a top shell 8. The shell 8, which may be made of a precious or semi-precious metal and which may hear an ornamental design if so desired, is crimped around the base plate 6 at suitable points by means of tabs 10. While four tabs 19 are shown on each of the top shells 8, it should be recognized that any number of tabs may be used as long as adequate fastening is provided.

Each of the bottom links 5 of the bracelet comprises a base plate 7 and a bottom shell 9. The bottom shells 9 are fastened to the bottom base plate 7 by crimping tabs 11 around the base plate 7 in a manner similar to the Way in which the top shells 8 are attached to base plates 6. The bottom shells 9 are usually smooth in order not to irritate the body of the wearer at a point where they make contact and are formed from a suitable material such as stainless steel.

In FIG. 1, the top shells 8 of six top links 4 have been removed in order to show the base plates 6 and the manner in which the invention operates. Similarly in FIG. 2 the bottom shells 9' have been removed from two bottom links in order to clearly show the bottom base plates 7.

Referring to FIG. 4, a top base plate 6 is shown of substantially rectangular construction. The base plate 6 has a circular aperture 14 at its center portion and another circular aperture 16, preferably of a diameter smaller than the aperture 14, adjacent one of its ends. The area surrounding the circumference of the circular aperture 14 is slightly depressed in the shape of a concentric circle 17 to accommodate a fastening member to be described. The base plate 6 also has cut out of its body portion a keyhole shaped slot 18 with a narrow section along its longitudinal axis substantially bisects the circu lar apertures 14 and 16 and the slot 18.

Base plate 6 is also formed with heels 24 and 26 which extend from its edges and are constructed so that a space is left between the top of the base plate 6 and the under side of heels 24 and 26. Heel 24 is illustratively located adjacent the widened section 22 of the slot 18 while heel 26 is illustratively located between the two apertures 14 and 16, the heels 24 and 26 being on opposite edges of the base plate 6. Directly opposite the heels 24 and 26 on alternate edges of the base plate 6 are shoulders 28 and 30 which are upstruck tabs bent up from the body of base plate 6. It should be noted that all of the base plates 6 are formed in a similar manner to the one shown in FIGURE 4 and may be constructed by any suitable process such as stamping or molding from any suitable material, such as brass, steel, stainless steel, etc.

FIGURE 5 shows a base plate 7 of the bottom links 5. Extending vertically adjacent each end of the base plate 7 is a stud member 13 having a stem 15 and a hollow bore portion 21. The stems 15 of studs 13 are of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of circular aperture 16 and the narrow section 20 of the slot 18. An eyelet 19, with outside diameter smaller than the diameter of aperture 14 and having a hollow bore portion extends vertically from the center portion of the base plate 7. The base plate 7 is also formed with four notches 23 which are downstruck to form shoulders on the under side of the base plate 7 (not shown), and are symmetrically located on each side of the base plate 7 adjacent the eyelet 19. As in the case of the top base plates 6, all of the bottom base plates 7 are identical and all are formed in a similar manner by any suitable process. The base plates 7 may be made of any suitable material such as brass or steel.

The assembly of the bracelet is as follows. The hollow eyelet 19 of a first base plate 7 'is inserted into the circular aperture 14 of a first top base plate 6. A stud 13 of a second bottom base plate 7 is inserted into circular aperture 16 of the top base plate 6 and the head of the stud 13 is flanged or bent over as shown at 31. The outside diameter of the flange or bent portion 31 of the stud 13 is greater than the diameter of the circular aperture 16 and therefore the stud cannot slip through the aperture 16. This furnishes a manner of fastening a portion of the link.

Shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6 is a fastening member 40 in the shape of a tongue or key with an annular ring 42 at one end. After the hollow eyelet 19 has been inserted through circular aperture 14 the annular ring 42 of fastening member 40 is placed over the eyelet 19 and is seated in the depression 17 that surrounds the circular aperture 14. The end of the key 40 opposite the annular ring 42 is bent in channel shape and has a downwardly extending portion 44. Near the end of the fastening member 40 is a laterally extending finger portion 46. The fastening member 40 is slightly flexible and may be constructed of any suitable material such as spring steel, spring brass, etc.

After the annular ring 42 is placed over the hollow eyelet 19 and is seated in the depression 17, the top of the eyelet 19 is flanged to form a flange or head 48 which serves to hold the key 40 securely against the base plate 6.

A spring 49 having extending arms 51 and 52 is inserted in the hollow portion 25 of the eyelet 19. The arm 52 of the spring 49 is inserted in the space between one of the heels 24 or 26 and the base plate 6, according to the arrangement of the links of the bracelet, and the other arm 51 engages one of the shoulders 23 on the bottom of base plate 7. As can be seen, the base plates 7 are symmetrically constructed and can be turned around in the assembly of the bracelet. Spring 49 provides the resiliency necessary between adjoining links in the expansion of the bracelet.

The head of a stud 13 of a third base plate 7, flanged at 33 is inserted into the wide section 22 of the slot 18. The outside diameter of the flange 33 is slightly less than the diameter of the widened section 22 of the slot 18, thereby permitting easy insertion. The diameter of the flange 33 of the stud 13 is greater than the diameter of the narrow section 20, but the outside diameter of the stem 15 of the stud 13 is smaller than the diameter of the narrow section 20 of the slot 18. When the stem 15 of stud 13 is slid forward into the narrow section 20 of the slot 18 the widened head portion 33 prevents the stud 13 from the falling out of the slot.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, when the stud 13 is thus positioned in the narrow section 20 of the slot 18, the key 40 is flexed upward and the bent section 44 is slid over the head portion 33 into the hollow section 21 of the stud 13. The width of the bent section 44 of the key 40 is smaller than the diameter of the bore portion 21 of the stud 13 and easily fits into the hollow portion 21. If desired, the bent over portion 44 may be formed with a point at its end.

The key member 40 is rigid and long enough to hold the stud 13 in the narrow section 20 of slot 18 no matter to what position the bracelet is expanded or compressed. The advantages of this arrangement are apparent when it is considered that once the key 40 properly engages the stud 13, that without disengaging the fastening member 40 from the stud 13, there is no possible way in which the stud 13 can slide into the wide section 22 of the slot 18 and thereby become disengaged from the slot 18 of the top base plate 6. This is true no matter what position of expansion or compression the bracelet assumes.

Added structural support is provided by the finger 46 of the key 40. Since the narrow portion 20 of the slot 18 is wider than the shank 15 of the stud 13, when the bracelet is expanded the relative movements of the bottom link base plate 7, to which the stud in the slot is attached, and the top link base plate 6 causes the stud 13 to move towards the wider portion 22 of the slot. The annular ring 42 of the key 40 has a hole which is slightly greater in diameter than the eyelet 19 to allow for easy assembly of the bracelet and for free movement of the links of the bracelet and the eyelets 19. Therefore, as the stud 13 moves in the keyhole slot the key 40 is pushed along with it. The key 40 is preferably constructed so that the finger 46 is spaced slightly away from the heel 24 when the bracelet is in a collapsed condition. This space allows for free movement of the links when the bracelet is expanded. Therefore, as the stud 13 is moved towards the large portion of the keyhole slot by the pulling action of base plate 7, when the bracelet is expanded, the key 40 and its finger 46 move in the same direction and engages the heel 24 of the top base plate 6. Utilizing the cooperating structure of the finger 46 and the heel 24 the key 40 cannot pop out of the stud head 33 when the bracelet is expanded, since the finger 46 is forced against the heel 24.

To complete the assembly of the bracelet, a desired number of linkages are assembled in the same manner as previously described. After the assembly of the linkages is completed the ornamental top shells 8 are crimped around the top base plates 6 approximately at points 24, 26, 28 and 30, by the tab portions 10. Similarly, the bottom shells 9 are crimped around the base plates 7 at points 23 by tab portions 11. To either add or subtract to the length of the bracelet only the top shells 8 need be taken off the top base plates 6. Upon removal of the top shells 8 the necessary keys 40 are exposed and links may be added or subtracted at the point desired.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. the arrangement of having a key 40 engaging a stud 13 in the slot 18 occurs at alternate ends of adjacent links. Therefore, to disassemble two links from the bracelet it is only necessary to pry up two of the keys 40 from their normal places of engagement, within the hollow portions 21 of studs 13. The headed portions 33 of the studs 13 are then slid to the wide sections 22 of the slot 18. At this point, the heads 33 of the studs 13 drop through the slot and the two links are separated from the bracelet. Additional links are added to the bracelet by using the reverse procedure.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show another form of the invention in which the head 33 of the stud 13 is placed in the narrow section 20 of the slot 118 in a manner similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-3. The same reference characters are used to denote the portions of the invention which are alike.

In this embodiment instead of inserting the bent portion 44 of the key 40 over the top of head 3-3 of the stud 13, a key 50 is constructed to be inserted from the side of the base plate 6 under the head or flange 33 to press against the stem 15 of the stud 13. Since the hollow portion 21 of the stud 13 is not utilized, the stud 13 may be of solid construction but the use of a hollow or solid stud makes no difference in the operation of the invention. In order to accomplish this, the key 50 is made flat and is shorter in length than the keys 40 used in the embodiments of FIGS. l-3. The extending finger portion 46 is still provided and performs the same function as previously described with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. As shown in FIG. 7B, the construction of the key 50 is such that it bridges the narrow section 20 of the slot 18 at the point where it engages the stem 15 of the stud 13 under the head 33. FIG. 7A shows the assembly in an open position and it is seen that the key 50 may be inserted under the head 33 of the stud 13 from the side of the stud 13 instead of from the top, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a further modification of the invention. In this embodiment the key 60 is made of springy material and is designed to engage the stem 15 of the stud 13 from the side of base plate 6. The key is so constructed that it has a rearwardly extending portion 55 which hooks under the base plate 6 or is connected to the base plate 6 in some other suitable fashion such as by soldering. The other end of the key 60 is formed with a flat semicircular hook 62. Since the key 60 is constructed of spring material it will be compressed toward heel 24 when the bracelet is expanded by the movement of the bottom base plate 7 to which is attached the stud 33 in the slot, which the key 60 presses against. The key 60 is inserted under the head 33 of the stud 13 from the side and the hook 62 engages the stem 15 of the stud 13. To adjust the size of the bracelet in this embodiment it is only necessary to pry the spring key 60 on to one side as shown in FIG. 8A and then drop the head of the stud 33 through the large section 22 of the slot 18.

The function of the keys 50 and 60 in the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8 is identical to that of the key 40 in the embodiment of FIG. 1. Specifically, each of the keys 50 and :60 keeps the stud 13 in the narrow section 20 of slot 18 and prevents the disengaging of the bottom link 7 from the top link 6. A finger portion similar to 46 may be provided on the key 60 of FIG. 8

in a manner similar to key 40. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the finger portion would serve the same purpose as the finger portion 46 on key 40.

The size of an expansible type bracelet may be easily adjusted. The bracelet is provided with a fastening member which insures that the links of the bracelet cannot become disengaged no matter what position the bracelet is expanded or compressed to. This fastening means comprises a tongue or key which either hooks over the end of a stud, used to form the pivotal linkage, or else engages the stud at some other place. The stud is placed in a keyhole shaped slot and the fastening member prevents it from riding back in its slot to a position where it can become disengaged from the link.

While only several embodiments have been shown it is obvious that many modifications can be made of the present form of the invention. The embodiments disclosed are merely intended to be illustrative and not intended to limit the invention in any sense.

What is claimed is:

An expansible link bracelet comprising a plurality of detachable top and bottom links pivotally joined at the centers and ends thereof, each of said bottom links having headed, hollow studs projecting from both ends thereof and a headed eyelet projecting from its center, each of said top links being formed with an aperture at its center to receive an eyelet and an aperture at one end to receive one of the studs from a corresponding bottom link, each of said top links also being formed with a slot at its other end for receiving a stud from a corresponding bottom link, said slot having an enlarged section with a diameter (greater than the head of the stud and a narrow section having a diameter less than the diameter of the stud head, said stud normally being positioned in said narrow section of said slot, a raised heel fixed to said top link adjacent said slot between the center aperture and the end of the top link, a fastening member having an annular ring at one end thereof, said annular ring being placed around and under the head of said eyelet, the other end of said fastening member being formed with a finger which extends across said heel and is spaced therefrom in a direction away from said central aperture when the bracelet is in a collapsed condition, said fastening member also having a bent over portion at its extremity, said bent over portion extending over the head of the stud into the hollow section thereof thereby engaging said stud to keep it positioned in said narrow section of said slot and said finger engaging said heel when the bracelet is expanded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,284 Rose Aug. 14, 1883 439,385 Cole Oct. 28, 1890 520,723 Bloomberg May 29, 1894 1,077,673 Coles Nov. 4, 1913 2,781,631 Showell Feb. 19, 1957 2,838,906 Valcourt June 17, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,158,807 France Nov. 10, 1953 

